announced today it received a Reader’s Choice Top Product award from University Business, a magazine for higher education leaders at two- and four-year colleges and universities nationwide.
Readers nominated hundred of companies with testimonials, and the magazine narrowed the finalists down to 40.
It may not be the most exclusive club, or even the shiniest trophy in tech. But the achievement comes on the heels of a few others that rounded out a big 2015 for the Austin edtech company, which makes software that at least 370 higher ed institutions use to track and improve the compliance and stewardship of their scholarships.
When Forbes published its annual Great Place to Work report in July, AcademicWorks received perfect scores across the board from 31 employee surveys.
The company ranked 35th of the best workplaces for camaraderie nationwide, as well as 42nd out of the 100 best workplaces for women. At the time of the survey, 11 of the company’s 34 employees were women, who held 50 percent of the management positions.
In the survey, employees attributed their high marks to perks like the AcademicWorks buddy program, which pairs each new hire with another employee for mentorship and cultural integration. Employees can also take someone from a different department out to lunch once per quarter on the company.
Like several other Austin tech companies, AcademicWorks also promotes group volunteerism at SafePlace Austin, which supports families recovering from domestic violence.
The company was also included in Austin Business Journals’ Fast 50 rankings in 2015.
If you’re looking to get on board, the company offered tips for their interview process in the survey.
“We place a great deal of weight on how excited an individual is about … [matching] deserving students with the scholarship funds they need to make their educational dreams a reality,” one employee wrote. “It is pretty clear when people are interested and excited about helping solve this problem, as they often share stories about their own experience in finding financial aid for college. If they don't show enthusiasm about how we help students, it is a big red flag.”
